


Sid (SD-XXVIII)

by TheTravelerWrites



Series: Commissions [11]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Agender, Agender Robot, Asexual, Asexual Reader, Exophilia, Gender Neutral, Other, Reader Insert, Reader-Insert, Robophilia, gender neutral reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-20 05:08:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19370245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTravelerWrites/pseuds/TheTravelerWrites
Summary: While stationed on an outpost in the far reaches of the known universe, a astro-cartographer meets a robot in charge of the outpost's plant life. Curious about the many human concepts it wasn't programmed to understand, the robot tries to learn from the reader.





	Sid (SD-XXVIII)

Since being stationed at this outpost on the outskirts of discovered space, you’d been bored out of your skull. As a astro-cartographer, there wasn’t much for you to do other than update existing star maps until a new system was discovered, so you mostly spent your time reading or wandering what was known as the courtyard.

The outpost station was shaped like a ball with all the offices and living quarters along the edge. The very middle was open and lined with restaurants, and in the center was a large garden, which was the secondary source of the station’s oxygen and provided 1/5th of it’s food. The garden had walkways and benches, so you often spent time there while you read, just because of how peaceful it was. The tree canopy was tall and thick enough to obscure the ceiling, so if you ignored the hum of the engines, you could almost imagine you where back home.

It’s not that you hated it here: in fact, you had fought hard to get this posting. This outpost was on the very edge of what humanity had discovered up to this point. Everything beyond it was unknown. It was an honor to be a part of it.

An honor… and boring. You weren’t allow to go out with the exploration vessels; you could only analyze the data they returned with, which took an hour at most. It was a good job, good pay, an amazing opportunity, and you were ready to start banging your skull against the wall in in exasperation.

Other than reading, there was a bright spot in the dullness of your job: a service droid that took care of the garden. Their designation was SD-XXVII, but you called them Sid.

Sid had been built specifically to tend the garden on the outpost, pre-loaded with the knowledge of how to care for each individual plant, but also a learning mainframe, should the research teams discover any alien flora for them to cultivate as well. You didn’t know all that much about plants, but Sid was always happy to answer your questions whenever you asked.

“Morning, Sid!” You greeted them as they came into view, bent at an almost impossible angle and delicately spraying a row of strawberry plants with a mix of water and liquid plant food.

“Good morning, Doctor,” They greeted you in turn. You always winced at the word _doctor_. You felt too young to have such a title, but you did earn that doctorate hanging on your office wall, so it was a fair word to use.

“How is the garden today?” You asked them.

They straightened up as you approached. “The garden fares well,” They replied, the green lights on the orb of their head swirling this way and that. Their body structure was mostly skeletal, but the metal alloy was soft and pliable, so that it didn’t hurt the plants. You’d never actually touched them before, you just knew all this from asking.

“Have you come to read again today?” They asked.

You chuckled. “You know me too well, Sid.”

“More on astrophysics?”

“Actually, I thought I’d switch it up a little bit,” You said, holding up the novel.

They leaned in slightly, and though they didn’t have any visible eyes that you could see, it was almost as if the green lights were squinting. “The Trials of the Princess?”

You blushed a little, but you doubted Sid would judge you. “Yeah, just a little bit of romance. Things have been kind of boring.”

Sid paused for a moment, processing what you had said. “I’m afraid I have no concept of romance or boredom.”

You laughed. “That’s okay, Sid.”

“May I borrow the book when you’ve finished it?” Sid asked.

You were taken aback. “The romance novel? Why?”

“I’d like to learn,” They said.

“About… romance?” You asked.

“Yes.”

You looked at Sid, then at the book, and back at Sid. “Why?”

There was a whirring sound, and Sid’s lights began a strange dance on their head. Apparently they couldn’t think of a good reason, because they repeated, “I’d like to learn.”

“Uh… okay,” You said, a little bemused. “Here. I’ve got others. Let me know what you think of it, okay?”

“I will,” They said, and turned, walking off. You suddenly wondered exactly what they did on their down time. Did they even get down time? Would they be in trouble for not tending the garden like they were supposed to so that they could read? What happens to a robot when it got into trouble?

You shook your head before you could go any further down that rabbit hole and went back to your quarters to get another book.

Sid returned the book the next day and thanked you for letting them borrow it. When asked what they thought, they stated they were still compiling data and left it at that. As if you couldn’t get any more baffled.

A week later, a bouquet of flowers appeared on the ground outside your quarters. You’d almost kicked them into the opposite wall before noticing them just in time. It was roses, which you didn’t even know grew on the station, and it had a note that said “From Your Secret Admirer.” It looked like it had been printed off of an old-timey ink-jet printer.

You snorted. Taking the vase inside, you put it on your table and went back out to go to the gardens.

“Good morning, Doctor,” Sid said, like they did every morning.

“Sid, what’s with the flowers?” You asked them point blank.

They seemed to freeze, and there was a short buzzing sound, like a bee. Their lights jittered almost anxiously.

“I… how did…”

“Sid, I’m not an idiot,” You said with a smile. “You’re the only person who is allowed anywhere near the plants. Cutting a plant without your express permission is punishable by a fine and two days of in-quarters dismissal from duties.” You folded your arms. “’Secret Admirer?’ Where did you get that from?”

“The outpost’s computer database,” Sid replied. “I was trying to learn more about romance, but the database’s information was rather limited.”

“I’m not surprised, Sid. This is a science vessel, not a couple’s cruise ship,” You said, dumbfounded. “Why are you even trying to romance me?”

“I want to learn,” They replied. “And you are the only person who speaks to me with regularity.”

“Sid, you don’t have to pick the only person who talks to you. You should pick someone you like.”

“I like you.”

You sighed, and they tilted their head at you.

“Do you not like romance?”

You tsked and cocked your chin. “That’s not it.”

“Not with me?”

You thought you heard some genuine hurt in their synthesized voice.

“It’s not that, either, Sid,” You said placatingly. “I just… this is all a little sudden for me, you know?”

“Oh.” Sid replied, whirring thoughtfully. “What would make you more comfortable?”

“Uh…” You mumbled uncertainly. “I... don’t know… Well… I mean, we’ve chatted, but we’ve never had a proper conversation. Let’s start with that.”

“All right,” Sid said. “What would you like to talk about?”

“Would you like to sit with me?” I asked, pointing at the bench.

Their head tilted again, and they made another mechanical noise, and they went to the bench, carefully sitting down. You wondered if they’d ever sat down before now.

“Well,” You said, sitting next to them. “How old are you?”

“I was built just before the station was launched.”

“Really?” You said, actually rather happy to learn this. “We’re almost the same age, then!”

“Is this a good thing?” They asked, head tilted again. You were starting to find that head motion rather endearing.

“Yeah,” You said. “Typically, when humans interact romantically, it’s often best if they are close in age. There are exceptions, of course. My parents had a gap of ten years. People love who they love, I guess.”

“I see,” Sid replied. “Have you ever loved?”

“Do you mean romantically, or just in general?”

“Romantically.”

“Yes,” You said. “I had a boyfriend in college that I loved very much, but we wanted different things out of life. We parted amicably, and I still feel a fondness for him, but I’m not in love with him anymore.” You shook yourself out of your memories and turned to look at Sid. “Are you… capable of feeling love?”

“I’m uncertain,” They said. “I don’t believe I ever have before. It’s why I want to learn.”

“Do you care about anything?”

“The plants,” They replied, gesturing at the garden. “I care for the plants.”

“No, I don’t mean you take care _of_ them,” You said. “I mean do you care _about_ them? Would you be upset if something happened to them? Or is it just your programming?”

It was several minutes before they spoke again. “There was a lily, two years after I was posted here, that refused to flourish. I changed the soil, used different food, adjusted the irrigation, but nothing worked. It died. It was the only plant in my care that ever died for no reason.” They looked over at the flower section. “Other plants have died, but they were supposed to. I am unsure if it is my programming, but I still contemplate the lily, even now. I often return to the memory and I do not know why.”

You raised your hand and laid it on their shoulder. It was as soft has Sid told you, and it was warm too. Sid turned to look at your hand, and then at your face. The swirls of color on their face squiggled a little, as if they raised their eyebrows.

“It’s affection,” You said. “I’m offering comfort. You seem sad. Can you feel it?”

“Yes,” They replied. “I’m equipped with sensors along my body that help me discern the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere, as well as the texture of the plants.”

“Does it feel nice?” You asked.

They thought about it, a clicking sound coming from them. “Yes,” The said finally. “It does feel nice.”

“Do the noises you make mean anything, or is it just the servos in your body moving?”

“Actually, it does have some meaning, but not in human terms. They’re more like communications between the database I am connected to and I. I’m… updating and editing known information with new data constantly.”

“Hmm…” You said. “Can you… maybe keep our conversations private from the database?”

“Why?”

“Because couples keep what’s between them to themselves.”

“Oh. All right.”

You talked to Sid for longer than you probably should have, since they still had a job to do, but you agreed to go on a date with them the next evening. You actually felt a bit nervous.

You met them at the Italian place, and they ended up getting there before you and was standing next to a table, waiting. There were a few people staring at them in confusion, but apparently Sid didn’t feel embarrassment, or didn’t care, because their lights swirled like they did when they were content.

“Welcome!” They said, pulling out a chair. There were candles and flowers on the table. It was like something out of a magazine. You laughed a little and sat in the proffered seat. They sat opposite you.

You tried not to chuckle at their enthusiasm, but this was the most cliched date you’d ever been on.

“I ordered you the linguine with grilled scallops and a rose’,” They said. “I remember you once said you enjoyed them.”

“I don’t recall mentioning that,” You said.

“September 15th of last year, you’d been reprimanded by your commanding officer and you said you were going to get your favorite meal to make yourself feel better.”

“You remembered that?”

“Yes,” He said.

“Is it part of your programming to remember everything people say?” You asked them.

They paused. “…no. Unless it pertains to plants, it is of no consequence to me.”

“But you remembered what I said almost a year ago.”

“Yes.”

As your food arrived, you took a sip of your wine and smiled. “I can’t tell if that’s creepy or sweet, so I’m going to go with sweet.”

“’Sweet’ in this context means ‘good?’” They asked.

You did chuckled then. “Yes, it means good.”

You were shocked to find that you really enjoyed your date with Sid, and at the end of the night, he walked you back to your quarters.

“I’ve read that this is the moment in which I am to kiss you, but I’m afraid I’m not capable of such an action,” They said, gesturing at the orb that was their head.

“It’s okay, I’ve got this part,” You said, leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to the orb. The lights solidified momentarily in something that resembled a blush.

“Would it please you to accompany me on another date?” Sid asked.

“I would love to go on another date with you, Sid,” You said with a big grin.

There was a second date, and a third, and a fourth, and suddenly you found you weren’t nearly as bored as you used to be. All the dates were very storybook and cliched, but with Sid, they never felt cheesy or silly. Sid was always happy to be near you.

On the fifth date, you asked him to come in to read with you. He seemed anxious.

“I have read,” They said slowly. “That after a certain amount of dates that sexual intimacy is expected.”

Your face heated and you could practically see the shine from your blush in your range of vision. “Is that something you… want to try?”

“Well… I am… not equipped with the… tools… to engage in such an activity,” They said.

You breathed a sigh of relief. “To be honest, I don’t have much interest in… sexual intimacy. But there is a difference between sexual intimacy and physical intimacy.”

“There is?” They said in confusion. “How does one distinguish between the two?”

“Well, for starters, you don’t need… equipment… to be physically intimate,” You said, pointing to your personal library. “Pick a book and I’ll show you.”

They took one and returned to you. “And now?”

“Go sit on the couch.”

They complied. You picked a book for yourself and sat down next to them, taking their arm and wrapping it around your shoulder as you leaned into them. “Like this. Is this alright?”

He snugged you into his soft metal experimentally. “Yes. This is… pleasant.”

You kissed the orb and settled into their side, opening the book.

Life on the station got so much better after that.


End file.
